Local News

On Tuesday, Michelle Ann Mae Douglas, Peyton’s mother, appeared in court under the same cloud of suspicion.

But she didn’t opt for General Sessions Judge Joe Ayers to weigh the evidence in her case. Instead 23-year-old Douglas waived her preliminary hearing sending her case straight to the grand jury. However she did have one request.

On the heels of a gun related incident at Campbell County High School board members took action to provide an extra measure of security for students.

Asking for an amendment to the evening’s agenda Board Member Johnny Byrge asked for the addition of a School Resource Officer position to the staff at CCHS. With no opposition to the measure, Byrge took the opportunity to state his reasoning for the request.

You can’t conduct business if you’re not there; that’s the conundrum that the Jellico Mayor and Aldermen have found themselves in.

The Jellico Board of Mayor and Aldermen have held 10 meetings since mid August, with seven of those meetings being specially called. Of those seven, there have been six meetings where a quorum was not met due to lack of attendance.

Specifically, the last three meetings that have been special called by Mayor Forrester Baird have not taken place.

While the county finance department waits for clarification on what constitutes an administrative employee versus a non- administrative employee, a court order has been issued in the matter.

In August county attorney Joe Coker filed the question in Campbell County Chancery Court.

That filing asked Chancellor Billy Joe White to decide what the decisive element is between the two classifications. Currently, the distinction is overtime pay. Any county employee who receives overtime compensation may not be categorized as administrative, according to earlier court filings.

In what has become a battle of court filings the town of Caryville has requested the current civil action filed against them by Steve Hale be dismissed.

Hale, the owner of Adult World, LLC., recently asked the court to rule that his business not be held to the Caryville ordinances that regulate adult orientated businesses. He claimed the ordinances were unconstitutional and prohibited free speech. Nude dancing is a form of free speech, Hale’s previous filings said.

A Nov. 3 incident has left one man dead and a Jellico detective denying allegations he used unneeded force.

Last Tuesday, Jimmy Smith, of Jellico, allegedly lost control of his vehicle and drove into an air conditioning unit outside of Billy’s Motel, according to Jellico Detective J.J. Hatmaker. Hatmaker is also the detective being accused using excessive force when responding to the incident.

Suspicion of public intoxication led to the drug arrest of Chuckie Dewayne Elkins, 35, of 506 E. Fir Street, LaFollette on Halloween.

Jellico Police Officer Joe Hopson saw Elkins exit the Jellico Community Hospital allegedly appearing to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol as he staggered to the parking lot, the Jellico Police report said.

Stealing a pack of cigarettes may end up costing a LaFollette man more than he bargained for.

On Nov. 2, Jacksboro Officer Daniel Terry was dispatched to the Wal-Mart parking lot on the report of a theft, the Jacksboro Police report said. Upon arrival, Terry made contact with the victim who told him that she had allegedly witnessed Christopher Scott O’dell, 20, of N. First Street, LaFollette, steal a pack of cigarettes from her car.

Terry then spoke with O’dell who verbally admitted to stealing the cigarettes, the report said.